


Heroes

by CaptainHookness (GhostOpera)



Series: Memories [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, I tried to make this a little less sad, M/M, so emotional
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 12:21:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4479059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostOpera/pseuds/CaptainHookness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Jack's 17th birthday and soon to be Spencer's 41st birthday. Jack asks about his father and wants to know what kind of hero he was and how many people he helped and saved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heroes

"Papa, I got you some hair colour," Jack teased as he threw the car keys down on the table, smiling over at Spencer, who was sitting on the couch with his nose buried in a book, "Papa, I'm home!"

 

Spencer looked up and smiled, "Hey, Jack," he said sweetly, standing up and giving the teenager a hug, "Thanks for the hair dye, even though I didn't need it! How was your day at school?" Spencer took Jack's backpack from his shoulder and sat it down beside the door before helping him put the groceries away, "Thanks for going to the store, I know you don't want to do that when you're coming home from school." Spencer pressed a kiss to Jack's head and sighed, "I made dinner, you have shrimp and rice in the pot on the stove. Might want to heat it up a little first."

 

"Thanks, Papa," Jack said softly, running a hand through his blonde hair and turning the stove on and sitting up at the bar, "So my teachers all threw me their individual little birthday parties. Kind of like you did this morning, but more awkward." He laughed quietly and eyed Spencer closely, "Papa, you really need to dye your hair again or else it's going to make you look like you're fifty years old. I know you don't want to look  _that_ old." _  
_

"You know, Jack, your father was fifty when he died. You make it sound like it's ancient. Your father was in great health and no where near death.." His heart sank at the word choice, "I mean.. You know what I meant." He bit his lip and turned around, running a hand awkwardly through his greying hair, "I'm sorry, Jack, I knew I shouldn't have said it like that.."

 

"Papa, you have to relax, I've spent a lot of time coming to terms with what happened, and I think it's time you do too. You have to stop reliving that moment when you knew you couldn't save Dad, and focus on what really matters. All of the times he made you happy and feel good." Jack paused for a moment, "Not like that, I don't want to hear about the places you had sex with my father."

 

"Jack!"

 

"What? I'm just being honest! Papa, really, I'm trying to be serious here. You have to remember all of the good times you had with dad and not think about what could have been done. You can't spend the rest of your life in the regret you've been falling in to for years now. It's been seven years; have you even talked about dad to anyone up at your job? Have you ever sat down with Derek or JJ or anyone and relived some of the great memories you guys had shared? Hell, I want to hear about what kind of hero dad was! I want to hear about everything he did to help people, but I don't want to hear it from someone up at the BAU, I want to hear it from the man that he wanted to marry!" Jack sighed and made his way over to the stove to serve himself the now hot food. 

 

"Alright, sit down," Spencer said softly, his eyes already brimming with tears, "I'm going to tell you all about Agent Aaron Hotchner.." he said softly. He grabbed a chair and dragged it to the opposite side of the bar, his eyes falling shut for a moment as he took a long, deep breath. Once he had taken his seat and composed himself well enough to start talking, he opened his mouth to speak, "What do you want to hear about first?"

 

"I want to hear about all of the people that he saved and how he did it." Jack took a bite of his food and sighed, leaning back in the chair and crossing his legs, "Come on, Papa, out with it."

 

"Your dad helped so many people, Jack. He saved so many people from being killed. If I could even live up to half of his reputation.. He was equally sympathetic and stern when he interrogated someone or questioned someone or counselled a surviving victim." Spencer pawed at his eyes as he felt tears brimming, "He was such a great Agent, one that everyone looked up to. Good about paperwork, amazing profiler.. He was utterly perfect."

 

"Well what was he like outside of work? How did he make you happy?"

 

Spencer took a breath and closed his eyes, wiping away a few more tears, "He was the most amazing fiancé that anyone could ever have.. I will continue to loathe the day that he went to the hospital. H-He didn't even make it off the table.." Spencer shook the angsty thoughts from his mind and sighed, "He was the sweetest - especially when he took me out on dates. A lot we went out to dinner; he would pull my chair out for me, take my jacket.. He was the perfect gentleman. He didn't even kiss on the first date. We didn't have our first kiss until two weeks later. I was kidnapped by one of our unsubs.. When I had the chance I dropped a hint about a conversation I had with your dad a few days before that. After he found me, I was babbling like I always do, and to stop me he kissed me.." The genius smiled sadly as he looked up at Jack, who was looking at the picture the three of them had taken together only a few days before Aaron had died, "I loved him, and I still do. That's why I've never dated anyone after him. I still consider myself engaged."

 

Jack smiled, looking down at his shoes, "Was he good to mom?"

 

"I wasn't ever really around Haley much, but I do know that Aaron treated her well. He was a very loyal man, and even though your mother split with him, I know that he loved her. I wish that you had the chance to grow up with both of your parents, and I'm sorry that I couldn't give you the chance of growing up with your dad." Spencer put his face in his hands and sniffled, eventually letting out a soft cry, "I'm so sorry, Jack, I know that you would give anything to be like everyone else - to have two parents, your mother and your father, who both work nine-to-five jobs, that come home every night for dinner and have your Aunt Jessica over every so often or you go to her house to stay the night when you get tired of your parents.. I took that all away from you.. I couldn't have saved your father, he was already gone by the time I got there. Jack, I'm so sorry, I know it wasn't my fault that your mom died, but god if I had just gotten there five minutes sooner.. I could have been sitting here with Aaron, telling you all about how you met. I just wish I could have said goodbye or I'm sorry.."

 

Jack sighed and stood up, patting Spencer on the back, "Papa, seriously, it's okay. I think you need to realise that even if you did get there five minutes sooner, you may or may not have been able to save Dad. You need to realise that it wasn't your fault, that you can't spend the rest of your life wondering what had happened or what could have been. You have to remember the past, focus on the only thing that matters. Please, for me? Think about the fun times, think about the fuzzy feeling he made you feel. He always looked at you the way he did mom, I know he loved you, Papa, he loved you so much. Even if it was your fault, he would have forgiven you and not wanted you to move on like this. He would want the same thing. Just please try and keep that in mind, okay?"

 

"You remind me so much of him, Jack," Spencer sobbed, pulling Jack into his arms and squeezing him, "You're just like your dad, and I'm happy I have something left of him." He kissed the side of Jack's face and smiled, wiping his tears away, "Thank you so much.. For everything, Jack. I love you."

 

"I love you too, Papa."

**Author's Note:**

> Just the epilogue is next. I should have that up by the end of tomorrow or the next day.


End file.
